Resource Management Issues: Wildlife Disturbance

Overview of the issue:

The Sanctuary provides many opportunities for observation of nature, including whale watching, bird watching, pinniped pupping and haulout activity, and viewing of sea otters. Rocky shorelines provide pedestrians opportunities to view the flora and fauna associated with the intertidal habitat, and kayaks and partyboats are used for nearshore and offshore tours. With the multitude of opportunities for observation come the potential for wildlife disturbance that may result in flushing birds from their nesting roosts, harassment or even death of pinnipeds or sea otters, as well as trampling and excess collecting of intertidal organisms. Other sources of wildlife disturbance include low-flying aircraft, fireworks displays that can flush seabirds and marine mammals, marine debris, acoustic impacts and motorized personal watercraft.

The Sanctuary has one of the most diverse and abundant assemblages of marine animals in the world, including six species of pinniped, twenty-seven species of cetacean, four species of sea turtles, ninety-four species of seabirds and one species of sea otter (fissiped). Nearly all of the mammal and turtle species, and many birds, are protected under the Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act or Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

How is the Sanctuary involved?

MBNMS addresses wildlife disturbance through a mix of educational outreach, regulations and enforcement. Sanctuary regulations explicitly prohibit harassment of marine mammals, as defined under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Previously, ecotourism operations within the Sanctuary included white shark viewing with the aid of chumming or other attraction methods. MBNMS adopted prohibitions for attraction of white sharks, due to the potential for alteration of the sharks general behavior patterns and user conflicts with recreational activities such as surfing. Potential impacts from low-flying aircraft are addressed by a specific prohibition on flying under 1000 feet in designated overflight zones with sensitive wildlife. Some implementation problems have occurred due to pilot’s lack of understanding and acknowledgement of the zones since they are not noted on aeronautical charts. MBNMS has begun an outreach campaign to pilot’s associations on the zones and the impacts of low flights, and is working to include notations on the charts.

The Sanctuary is mandated to approach resource protection from a broad, ecosystem based perspective. This requires consideration of a complex array of habitats, species, and interconnected processes and their relationship to human activities. A Team Ocean summer education/outreach program employs on-the-water naturalists for the Monterey Bay and Elkhorn Slough in order to prevent kayakers from approaching marine mammals such as sea otters, too closely. Similarly, the Sanctuary has assisted in reducing harassment of the elephant seal population at Piedras Blancas, a location very near the highway where tourists were closely approaching the animals. These efforts have included assisting local nonprofit organizations in establishing an observer and docent network for the elephant seal haulout sites to facilitate observation opportunities at safe distances and locations, and improving interagency enforcement for cases where an educational approach has not sufficed. The Sanctuary has also developed educational signage for several highly visited shoreline locations to reduce impacts of trampling and collecting of intertidal species.

Public awareness is necessary to effectively address wildlife disturbance issues since most people who choose to view marine wildlife do not intend to place the animals or themselves at risk. While it has been well established that it is harmful and dangerous to closely approach, handle or feed terrestrial wildlife (e.g., bears, deer, raccoons, nesting birds, etc.), many people do not yet seem to understand that these concerns also apply to marine wildlife.

Types of Wildlife in the MBNM

The MBNMS is known both nationally and internationally as a veritable 'hot spot' for viewing marine life. Of the more than 116 federally listed threatened or endangered species (55 percent of all species nationwide) in California, twenty-six reside within the Sanctuary. There is significant interest and public participation in activities found in the region that offer wildlife viewing. Following is a description of wildlife species present in the MBNMS which are subject to disturbance.



Cetaceans
Of the twenty-seven species of cetaceans seen in the Monterey Bay area, about one-third occur with frequency. Of the twenty-seven species of whales, five are listed as endangered: the blue, fin, humpback, right, and sperm. The highest concentration areas of cetaceans are within the central and southern portions of the MBNMS. The upwelling of the cold submarine canyon waters causes the bay to teem with microscopic life and krill. This in turn provides an abundance of nutrition for several species along the food chain. The Monterey Bay is a kind of an all-you-can-eat-buffet along their migration of the west coast.

Pinnipeds
There are a total of nine rookeries/colonies in the MBNMS. The five species of pinnipeds considered common in the Monterey Bay area include California sea lions, steller sea lions, northern elephant seals, northern fur seals, and Pacific harbor seals. An additional species, the Guadalupe fur seal, has been reported from records of sick animals stranded on the beach.

Fissipeds
The California or Southern sea otter is a threatened species that is found throughout the shallow waters of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, with its broader range stretching from the Gaviota Coast in Santa Barbara County to Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County. Sea otters inhabit a narrow zone of coastal waters, normally staying within one mile from shore. They forage in both rocky and soft-sediment communities as well as in the kelp understory and canopy. They seldom are found in open waters deeper than 30m, preferring instead the kelp beds, which serve as vital resting, foraging, and nursery sites. Otters are an important part of the marine ecosystem. By foraging on kelp-eating macroinvertebrates (especially sea urchins) sea otters can influence the abundance and species composition of kelp assemblages and animals within nearshore communities.

Seabirds and Shorebirds
Sanctuary waters are among the most heavily used by seabirds worldwide. Ninety-four species of seabird are known to occur regularly within and in the vicinity of the Sanctuary, and approximately ninety species of tidal and wetland birds occur on the shores, marshes, and estuaries bordering Sanctuary waters. Several environmental features are responsible for the diverse assemblage of birds in the area. The Monterey Bay is located on the "Pacific Flyway", allowing migratory birds a place to stopover during both north and south migrations between southern wintering grounds and northern breeding sites. The upwelling of nutrient-rich waters support highly productive food webs which provide abundant seabird prey, as well as the diversity of habitat types along the shore which increases the variety of bird species utilizing the MBNMS. Thus, many birds found in Sanctuary waters have come to feed, some from as far as New Zealand.

Turtles
The MBNMS is home to four species of sea turtles that frequent its waters —the Green, Pacific Ridley, Leatherback and Loggerhead sea turtles. The Leatherback is the most common. It is the largest turtle in the world and has the widest geographic range of any reptile. It is found in all of the world’s major oceans and has been observed from the Artic Circle to the edges of the Antarctic convergence zone. Leatherbacks are also one of the deepest diving animals known—descending to depths in excess of 1,300m. Leatherback turtle populations in the Pacific Ocean are declining at a disastrous rate. Since 1980 populations have dropped by more than 90%, and the accidental killing of leatherbacks by high seas commercial fishing fleets is a major contributor to that decline.

Potential Disturbance Activities within the MBNMS

Over the last twenty years, increasing numbers of people have been seeking opportunities to view and experience marine wildlife. For the most part, wildlife viewing has resulted in many positive benefits including new economic opportunities for local communities, and increased public awareness and stewardship for marine resources. However, there is growing evidence that marine wildlife can be disturbed and/or injured when viewing activities are conducted inappropriately. Disturbance or injury also occurs through commercial harvest activities.

Frequent disturbance can adversely affect marine species. The effects of disturbance can be especially critical during sensitive time periods, such as feeding, breeding, resting, or nesting. Disturbance is likely to cause avoidance reactions and may result in interruptions of social behavior of animals and is capable of leading to long-term changes in distribution.

Motorized and Non-motorized Vessels
The use of motorized or non-motorized vessels (outboard or inboard boats, kayaks, canoes, underwater scooters, or other types of water craft) to interact with marine mammals in the wild is a rapidly growing activity nationwide. For example, NOAA Fisheries and the MBNMS have received complaints from members of the public that include operators of motor vessels driving through groups of dolphins in order to elicit bow-riding behavior, whale watching vessels getting too close to whales or chasing animals in order to get a better view of them, and kayakers utilizing the quiet nature of their vessels to approach too close to sea otters and harbor seals. Also, fatal blunt trauma injuries to sea otters suggest that they are being hit by small boats particularly in areas near Elkhorn Slough and harbors. All of these actions cause animals to exhibit avoidance responses resultant from the interactions.

Fireworks
Fireworks displays over the Sanctuary have been traditionally conducted as part of national and community celebrations and foster public use and enjoyment of the marine environment. However, fireworks displays cause unacceptable levels of disturbance in certain areas. The MBNMS has worked with the National Marine Fisheries Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service in developing solutions to this issue; it is expected that final implementation of those guidelines will occur in 2005. Traditional community fireworks displays will be allowed to continue at the existing locations, but there will be constraints on the number allowed per year, as well as designated zones where fireworks will be prohibited.

Overflight Impacts
Potential impacts from low-flying aircraft are addressed by a specific prohibition on flying under 1000 feet in designated overflight zones with sensitive wildlife. Some implementation problems have occurred due to pilot’s lack of understanding and acknowledgement of the zones since they are not noted on aeronautical charts.

MBNMS has begun an outreach campaign to pilot associations on the zones and the impacts of low flights, and is working to include notations on the FAA aeronautical charts. Additional outreach may be required to reach aviation companies which may be conducting whale watching trips within the Sanctuary Overflight Restriction Zones. This activity is also known to cause animals to exhibit avoidance responses resultant from the interactions.

Commercial Harvesting and Aquaculture Activities
Commercial harvesting of certain fish and kelp resources may result in varied types of disturbance to wildlife. The use of nighttime lighting in the commercial squid fishery may disturb certain seabirds such as pelicans, petrels, and auklets as well as sea otters by disrupting natural behavior. Kelp harvesting may involve potential disturbance of various fauna associated with the kelp ecosystem. Certain species such as sea otters could be prone to harassment by harvesting operations in the kelp beds. Certain methods of aquaculture can result in harm or
mortality to seabirds. Pens used for rearing juvenile species can trap seabirds attracted to the contents thereby resulting in injury or death.

How MBNMS Currently Addresses Wildlife Disturbance Issues

MBNMS addresses wildlife disturbance through a mix of educational outreach, regulations and enforcement. Sanctuary regulations explicitly prohibit harassment of marine mammals (as defined under the Marine Mammal Protection Act), sea turtles and birds. Other Sanctuary regulations relating to wildlife disturbance include restrictions on flying motorized aircraft below 1,000 feet in three designated sensitive areas, a prohibition on attracting white sharks, and restrictions on the use of motorized personal watercraft. Non-regulatory measures are also used by the Sanctuary to address wildlife disturbance, and include a variety of education and outreach activities and products.

There are several docent programs in high visitor use areas in the MBNMS. Some programs have been enacted to address concerns at specific locations such as the State or County Parks Programs at Point Lobos and the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, other docent programs are more regional. Below is a description of MBNMS programs that enlist the help of specifically trained and educated volunteers.

Team OCEAN
An effort to address the disturbance of marine mammals and seabirds by recreational users of the Sanctuary was launched by the Sanctuary during the fall of 2000, and is now in its third year. The Team OCEAN summer outreach program employs on-the-water education efforts for the Monterey Peninsula and in Elkhorn Slough to prevent kayakers from approaching marine mammals such as sea otters too closely.



Beach COMBERS
In 1997 a volunteer beach-monitoring program (Beach COMBERS: Coastal Ocean Mammal/Bird Education and Research Surveys) was established by the MBNMS and Moss Landing Marine Labs, to obtain information on rates of stranding for all Sanctuary marine birds and mammals. In addition, mortality events are detected, causes of mortality events are assessed, and oil and tar deposition is monitored. Some success stories to date include the discovery of banded birds from as far away as Hawaii; detection of unusually high numbers of dead adult harbor seals in localized areas; and a high deposition of Common Murres (a diving seabird), which led to the discovery of a previously unrecognized threat of gillnet mortality for Common Murres, harbor porpoise, and sea otters. The Beach COMBERS program has recently been expanded to Cambria, in the southern Sanctuary region. This program can help detect wildlife mortality patterns, although there often are a variety of possible causes of death.

Friends of the Elephant Seal
The Friends of the Elephant Seal(FES) is a non-profit organization, formed in 1997. It is dedicated to educating people about elephant seals and other marine life and to teaching steward- ship for the central coast of California. The organization puts volunteers through a comprehensive training program, using local experts. Volunteers work at the elephant seal viewing site year-round, and make over 150,000 contacts per year, with visitors coming from all over the world. The program redirects visitors to appropriate viewing sites and advises visitors of safe viewing practices. MBNMS has provided funding for signage at the main viewing site, and serves as an advisory member to the Board of Directors, participates in the docent training, and provides general assistance and support. Currently, the FES is without an Executive Director and does not have secure funding.

BAYNET
BAYNET, an all volunteer, non-profit organization founded in 1996, is dedicated to the protection of natural resources and educating people about the wonders of the ocean and the living marine resources in California's Monterey Bay region. During the program's first four years, BAYNET volunteers spoke with more than 200,000 visitors from all over the world. In the year 2000 alone, BAYNET volunteers donated 1,700 hours of service. The MBNMS provides staff assistance and partial funding for the program. Recently, BAYNET lost the bulk of its funding and is actively seeking funding opportunities.

Watchable Wildlife
The Watchable Wildlife program is a unique partnership of federal and state wildlife agencies and non-profit organizations working to educate the public and commercial operators about safe and responsible wildlife viewing practices. The program has three immediate goals: (1) enhance public wildlife viewing opportunities; (2) provide education about wildlife and its needs; and (3) promote active support of wildlife conservation. Within NOAA, the National Ocean Service (through the National Marine Sanctuary Program) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (through the Office of Protected Resources) have been working together with the Watchable Wildlife program partners over the past five years to develop a “Watchable Wildlife” program specifically for marine species and habitats. The main purpose of the program is to provide the public with information about appropriate wildlife viewing practices for the marine environment that are consistent with wildlife protection laws and conservation efforts.

Regulations

Harassment within the Sanctuary is governed by a complex array of multi-jurisdictional laws and regulations such as the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The following activities related to wildlife disturbance are prohibited within the Sanctuary: discharging materials (with certain exceptions); disturbing marine mammals sea turtles and birds; attracting white sharks; moving, possessing any historical resource, marine mammal, sea turtle or seabird; flying motorized aircraft below 1,000 feet in certain areas; and operation of jet skis outside of the four designated zones.

Enforcement



The shoreline of the MBNMS is approximately 300 miles long. The MBNMS has one dedicated NOAA Office of Law Enforcement agent to respond to potential violations of Sanctuary regulations. As might be expected with one dedicated agent responsible for coverage of an area the size of Connecticut, this enforcement agent has limited capabilities. The Sanctuary relies heavily on collaborations with other cross-deputized partners such as the Department of Fish and Game and the Department of Parks and Recreation to assist with Sanctuary enforcement. The MBNMS also funds a half-time law enforcement officer working in the Cambria area, who assists with enforcement issues during the elephant seal pupping season and collaborates with the Friends of the Elephant Seal docents. Enforcement patrols by the California Department of Fish and Game and the California Department of Parks and Recreation for the year 2000 - 2001 were tabulated at 2444 ‘patrol hours.’ Each hour of enforcement patrol effort reflects the presence of an enforcement unit somewhere in the Sanctuary.

The MBNMS currently addresses some of these harassment issues through regulatory measures such as: prohibitions of white shark attraction, marine mammal and seabird harassment, over-flight restrictions for sensitive areas; as well as non-regulatory measures and other education and outreach efforts to minimize impacts to living marine resources. However, major disturbances to marine mammals and seabirds continue to be a major issue within the MBNMS and will be addressed in this Management Plan Review. A framework and strategies to address this issue will be incorporated and implemented as part of this site-specific action plan.

Despite the initial efforts outlined above, many species in the Sanctuary warrant further protection via outreach, education, enforcement or other strategies designed to inform the public and specific user groups of the need to prevent wildlife disturbance within the MBNMS. The draft action plan developed by the Working Group provides a framework of protective measures for human interactions with marine mammals, seabirds, and turtles through wildlife viewing, commercial harvesting, and aircraft overflights in the Sanctuary. The initial phase will focus on identifying gaps in the existing system of protection and formulating a plan to jointly develop specific, more detailed, recommendations for those topics which have emerged as priorities.



RELATED LINKS:

The SIMON site marine mammal overview:
http://mbnms-simon.org/sections/marineMammals/overview.php?sec=mm

The MBNMS site characterization: http://montereybay.nos.noaa.gov/sitechar/welcome.html

NOAA's Ocean Etiquette Program: http://www.sanctuaries.noaa.gov/oceanetiquette/

NOAA Fisheries- Office of Protected Resources:
http://nmfs.noaa.gov/pr

Marine Mammal Center: http://www.tmmc.org/what_we_do/rescue/monterey_bay.asp

PHOTO CREDITS: Heather Cauldwell, Brad Damitz, Chad King, Steve Lonhart, and J. Floyd.